Kent selects streets for repairs from new B&O tax revenue

Drivers will find several Kent roads a bit smoother by this fall after crews put down layers of asphalt to repair streets paid for with revenue from the city’s new business and occupation (B&O) tax.

City officials released a street repair project list last week at the City Council’s Public Works Committee meeting. The tax is expected to raise about $5 million per year to pay for new asphalt overlays.

“We have 320 miles of road mapped out with a pavement rating,” said Public Works Director Tim LaPorte during a phone interview. “The ones on the Valley floor are the worst because they have the most truck traffic and don’t drain as well.”

All of the repairs for this year will be on streets in the Valley. Public Works employees determined which streets need to be fixed first.

“We prioritized by how bad the streets were and whether there were other issues to fix,” LaPorte said.

For example, South Central Avenue needs new asphalt but the city kept that road off the list because a waterline along the street also needs replacing and right now the city doesn’t have the funds for the waterline. LaPorte said the goal is to coordinate utility projects in order to not dig up a repaired street in a few years for a waterline or other utility project.

Crews are expected to start work in June on the first projects, a $500,000 list that includes portions of West Meeker Street, West James Street, Fourth Avenue North and 64th, 72nd, 76th, 80th and 81st Avenue South.

“James and Meeker will only be the outer lanes because the middle lanes do not need it,” LaPorte said. “The 64th Avenue project is full width, an entire street overlay.”

The West James Street asphalt project stretches from about 64th Avenue South to 76th Avenue South. The West Meeker Street repairs go from 64th Avenue South to Russell Road. The 64th Avenue project is between South 228th and 226th streets.

The first $300,000 of the tax pays for two new auditors in the Finance Department to oversee the B&O tax. The $4.7 million goes to street repairs.

The council approved the new tax in October with a 6-1 vote. Councilmembers had hoped the new tax might help persuade voters to approve a six-year property tax levy last November to pay for street and park repairs, but voters rejected the measure.

LaPorte said asphalt overlays last for about 12 years on Valley roads used heavily by trucks to access the large warehouse district. Residential streets can last 15 to 20 years before needing repairs.

A major $2.5 million paving project along Central Avenue North between South 228th Street and Smith Street also is scheduled for this year, although that work might get pushed out to 2014.

“What’s stopping it is this is a new fund and we’re not sure how much income we will have by June when bids would need to go out,” LaPorte said. “It’s quite probable we will not have enough (funds) until fall and will have to wait until the following year. We will be ready to do it if the funds are there.”

Revenue from the B&O tax is received quarterly, so the first payments come in this month. City officials will have a better idea after 2013 how much revenue the tax brings in each year.

Weather plays into the repairs as well. LaPorte said asphalt overlay projects need to be done between June and September when temperatures are warmer and the weather drier.

Projects on the asphalt list for 2014 include $1 million for the intersection of South 212th Street and 72nd Avenue South and another $1 million for South 212th Street between 84th Avenue South and Highway 167.

“I expect that we will add more to the 2014 list as we get a better idea of what the income level will be,” LaPorte said. “This list is closely tied with the cost of each roadwork element versus the probable income.”